The Journey Back From Hell
by BloodStainedSoul
Summary: When 19 year old Raive's on-again/off-again boyfriend Jacob shows up at her college with some terrible news, Raive rushes home with him and finds herself in the middle of a supernatural turf war. Jacob/OC
1. Chapter 1

_"Raive just because you don't talk about it, doesn't mean that it won't happen." Jacob whispered from behind me, but I barely hear him._

_We're sitting on the river bank like we do most nights, but tonight isn't like the rest. Tonight Jake will take me home to my dad, and tomorrow I'll wake up and pack to make the long trip back to my mothers house. All that only to pack again a week later and move back to college. Away from Jake, and my dad, and everything that matters._

_Jake and I have talked about it of course. We know that there is no point in staying together when we'll be so far apart. There's no point in even being alone when I won't be back for a year, and even then we might not even feel the same._

_He loves me, I can see it in his eyes, but he knows what has happened when any other guy has put those feelings into words. I'm glad that he hasn't said anything because I didn't want to leave him before I had to, and after tomorrow it won't matter. I'm leaving until next summer. I've been thinking lately that I might love him too. But it would be to cruel to tell him since I won't be here anymore._

_"Raive..?" Jacobs second whisper pulls me out of my thoughts and I lean back against him._

_"Yea babe?"_

_"Look at me." His breath tickles my ear._

_I make a show of groaning as I get up and turn around, as if moving is an inconvenience for me. Then I plop back down and straddle his legs, kissing him swiftly as I get comfortable. His hand comes up and cups the side of my face to pull me in for another kiss. As our lips touch everything inside me suddenly feels like it's on fire. The air is sucked out of my lungs, and when Jake finally pulls away I see that he is breathing just as hard as I am._

_"Stay with me Raive." He breathes._

_"I can't Jake. You know long distance relationships don't work."_

_"I know. That's why I'm asking you to stay. Don't leave tomorrow. Stay here with me. I.. I love you Raive."_

_I watched as Jakes face went from desperate to horrified as he realized what he said. Everything around me had stopped, and without a conscious thought I heard myself say,_

_"I love you too Jake"_

_I felt him stop breathing, and watched his eyes fill with wonder as he choked out, "You do? Will you stay?"_

_I nodded, and the next thing I knew I was spinning through the air in Jakes arms._

The worst part of dreaming is waking up to face reality. Because in reality I don't love Jake and he doesn't love me. We're together, but it's more out of convenience than anything else.

When I came up for the summer to visit my dad, I met Jacob. I knew him from when we were little, but since then we've both grown up and he has definitely filled out. Last time I saw him, he was a scrawny kid and now he's bigger than most guys I hang out with at school, and he's definitely a hell of a lot cuter. He swears up and down I'm beautiful. I almost believe him.

Since I showed up three months ago, Jake and I have given everything to each other except our hearts. After countless nights of talking about everything we could think of we trust each other completely. I even told him about the guys that had ruined so many things for me, including love. We spent so much time together it was easy to fall into a routine. I would spend my days with my dad, Jacob picked me up in the late afternoon, and he brought me back sometime in the early morning.

The first time he kissed me, it was almost an accident. We were trying to push each other into the river one night, and he had finally cornered me between himself and the water.

_"Where're you gonna go now Raive?" Jacob taunted._

_I moved to the left, and as he moved to block me I quickly darted the other way. I heard him slip and I thought I was in the clear until I felt him grab my ankle. I hit the ground, and he had me pinned before I could roll out of the way. I tried to buck him off, but I knew he had me._

_"This would have been a lot easier if you had just gotten in." He chuckled._

_I was still trying to catch my breath so I just nodded._

_"Now that I have ahold of you, do you want to do this easy way and just get in?" Jacob asked._

_"Depends." I laughed. "What's the hard way?"_

_"I kiss you into compliance. You know like 'beating into submission' but worse." He stated with a straight face._

_I couldn't help it. I burst out laughing. I felt Jacob move, but didn't realize what he was doing until I felt, and heard, him put a giant raspberry on my neck. I started laughing harder and kicking while I tried to pull his face away from my neck. I finally managed to hold his head between my hands, and away from me._

_"That wasn't a kiss!" I exclaimed in mock anger._

_"Well I wasn't going to kiss someone who was laughing at me." Jake chuckled._

_As he looked down at me, I watched his face become more serious. He slowly pulled my hands off his face, and held them to his chest as he leaned down until his face was above mine._

_"Jake why are you holding my hands?" I asked even though I already knew the answer._

_"Because I'm going to kiss you." He answered as he leaned closer._

_My mind started racing. Jake was my best friend and I cared about him, but he knew what happened last time I got involved with my ex best friend. I couldn't understand why he would want to risk everything for a-_

_My thoughts exploded into nothingness._

_His lips touched mine for a split second and then they were gone, but it had left my mind in a jumble. I could feel his breath on my face as he hovered above me, and when I opened my eyes I saw that had the same expression I imagined on my own face. A look of wonder, and hunger for more. He released my hands, and by their own accord, my finger wove themselves through his hair._

_Before I knew it I was kissing him, and it was like I had fire coursing through my veins. He kissed me like he was dying for breath and I was the only oxygen in the universe. Jake held me so close to him I felt like I was being crushed, and yet it wasn't close enough. I slid my hands down to his shoulders, to his chest. I felt his hand come to rest on my hip, and I struggled to pull my lips from his. I looked up at his confused face before I closed my eyes and took a steadying breath._

_"Jake I can't love you." I hated myself for saying it, but I knew I had to._

_I felt his muscles tense as he flinched, but he didn't pull away. His voice was steady when he spoke._

_"Look at me Raive." I opened my eyes, and did as he said. "Do you care about me?" He asked._

_"As much as I can." I whispered._

_"Raive I know there are somethings you can't give me, and I understand why. All I want from you is what you can give me right now. If you can give me more later then I'll be overjoyed, but I promise I won't push you away by wanting more from you than you're ready give me. I know it won't be a normal relationship, but having you for a while is better than not at all."_

_As I looked up at Jake, I swear if I could cry I would've right then._

We never did make it into the river that night. After we settled down we decided to wait until it was closer to time for me to leave before we ironed out how it was going to work when I left.

Speaking of, I should probably get up and get moving. I thought to myself. While I'm pulling myself out of bed I heard my dad yell, "Raive get dressed! If people complain that we didn't say goodbye before we left I'm blaming you for sleeping all day!"

"Fine, but Jake will be here at 9 o'clock to say goodbye!" I yelled back.

I heard him laugh in the other room and heard something that sounded like, "I figured." I ignored the jab and got dressed.

The rest of the day was one big blur of people saying they wished I would stay, and how much they would miss me. I was so relieved when we pulled up in front of the house I was almost out of the truck before it had completely stopped. I cooked my dad dinner for the last time. After we finish eating I Hadley enough time to put on my bathing suit, just in case, before I hear Jake pull up outside. I knew my dad heard it too because he meets me at the door.

"Don't stay out so long that you don't want to get up in the morning. We've got an early start tomorrow." Dad says as he hugs me.

"I'll be back before you wake up." I smile up at him and leave the house.

As I climbminto Jakes truck he smiles, and leans over to give me a kiss. I'm glad we already decided how we were going to end it before tonight so we didn't have to ruin tonight.

"Good. You already have your bikini on." Jake says as he pulls out of the driveway.

"Why is that good?" I ask.

"You'll see." He replies cryptically.

I decide not to push him on it because it's obvious we're heading towards one of our favorite swimming holes.

Sure enough, when he pulls off the road, he parks his truck in front of the path to The Death Hole. That isn't the real name of the swimming hole, but over the years so many teenagers, and adults, have drowned here that parents started calling it 'The Death Hole' to scare their kids. The closer we get, the more people we can hear. I try to ask Jake what's going on because there normally isn't anyone out here at night, since we have safer swimming holes to party at, but he just waves me off. Something's up. Jake has an excited air about him as he grabs my hand and pulls me faster down the path. Finally we burst out of the weeds surrounding the river bank, and we're greeted by a blast of alcohol breath as everyone sees us, and starts celebrating like we're the guests of honor. People come up to us and say they'll miss me. A couple even hug me.

When they go back to their own conversations I sneak a look up at Jake, and he's grinning from ear to ear. "I take it this is your doing." I state in a dry voice.

"I may have mentioned to a few people that you're leaving tomorrow." He shrugs.

I motion for him to lean down so I can whisper in his ear, but instead he picks me up so I'm facing him and I wrap my legs around his waist.

"I figured you'd want to be.. Alone tonight." I raise my eyebrow questioningly at him.

He checks over my shoulder to see if anyone's within earshot before speaking. "Of course I wouldn't mind having some 'alone time'," he chuckles at my code for sex, "but I thought you'd rather have one last night out before you left."

"And what made you think that?" I tease.

"We've had 'alone time.'" Jacob chuckles again before sobering up, "Raive I know that you're ex specifically waited to break up with you until after y'all had sex that day, and even though us breaking up is different because we planned it out and knew it was coming, I can't do that to you. You mean more to me than sex. When you come down again we'll have plenty more 'alone time.'" He gives me a crooked smile.

I honestly don't know what to say to him. I'm still staring at him when he surprises me by wiping his thumb below my eye. I'm even more surprised when I see that his thumb comes away from my face wet. In that moment, I feel something inside me shift. As I look at Jake, I suddenly know that I'll never find anyone that fit in my life more perfectly than he does... But I can't let my thoughts continue on that path. I know where they're headed and love is nothing but trouble.

I know that Jacob saw me shut down, and I can see the hurt in his eyes. But when he kisses me it doesn't feel sad. It feels like the first time we kissed, and by the time he pulls back we're both breathless and he's smiling again.

"Are you sure you don't want to be alone for a bit?" I ask again, while I unwrap my legs so he can put me down.

"I'm sure babe." He replies, flashing me a smile. "Besides, I have a better idea."

And before I can get out a scream Jake tosses me into the river. I come up cussing and spitting, everyone is cheering for Jake while he just stands on the bank laughing his ass off. I look him in the eye and say, "It's on."

"Bring it." He laughs.

And the splash war began. We drank, we swam, I even let him toss me in the river some more. We stayed on that river bank until almost everyone had already left. I felt ready to doze off when Jake said it was time to go. I let him help me up, but he could tell that I was tired, so he piggy backed me to his truck and put me in the seat beside him. I snuggle up to him after he gets in, and when I open my eyes again, Jake is trying to open the door to my dads house with me in his arms. I startle him a little when I lean forward and kiss his neck.

"Morning sleepy head." He says.

"You can put me down now. I promise I'm awake." I laugh. "Sorry about that." I say as he sets me down. "What time is it anyways?"

"Almost five." He replies. I see that he has already changed into his jeans.

"Dad wants to leave around eight or nine."

"Yea. Time for me to let you get a little sleep." Jake tries to smile, but it doesn't reach his eyes. He leans down and kisses me, long and slow.

He gives my hip a little squeeze as he presses his lips to my forehead and whispers, "Goodbye Raive." He turns to leave, but before he can reach the steps I have ahold of his arm.

"Stay with me." I say. I don't know what I'm doing. We've never actually stay at each others houses. We're always out late but we always wake up in our own beds. I'm breaking one of the rules of our relationship by asking him to stay, and dad probably won't like it, but if I only have a few more hours I want to be with Jake.

Jake is looking at me with the same hurt in his eye that was there when I shut down earlier.

"If it won't hurt you, I want you to stay." I whisper.

"W- Why would it hurt me?" He chokes out.

"Because I'm breaking one of our rules... And even though I am you know that I still can't give you anything more than what I already have." I look down at the floor, ashamed. "I've given you everything, but that still isn't much by normal standards. I don't want to hurt you by getting your hopes up that something's changing when it's not.. I'm just being selfish. Goodbye Jacob."

I move away from him to unlock and open the door. I hear Jake walking on the porch and I think he's going to his truck until I feel his hands on my hips, and his lips on my shoulder.

"I'll take what I can get." He whispers. "I'll be fine."

Jake reaches around me and opens the door. I hesitate to see if he's sure and he gently nudges me into the house. He shuts and locks the door behind us, and follows me to my room. I look around slowly, searching for my clean pajamas. Jake comes up behind me, and starts to undo the ties on my top. He helps me out of my bikini, and oddly it isn't sexual. He finds my bag and digs through it, then kneels down in front of me so I can step into my panties. Slipping his shirt off, Jake stands up and slips it over my head for a nightshirt.

I never get tired of seeing this boy shirtless. His chest is perfectly sculpted with muscles and his tattoos fit the lines of his body so well you can't help but trace along the lines the ink gun left behind. I reach out to run my hands down his chest, but Jake stops me.

"Raive just let me lay with you. No 'alone time' tonight, remember?" His voice is husky, but I hear the steely resolve in it.

I grab his hand and lead him over to the bed. "Fair warning. I cuddle."

Jake hugs me from behind. "Oh, trust me. I know." He laughs.

"You've never actually slept with me. Last chance to back out." I warn over my shoulder.

"There's nothing I want more than to stay with you." Jake whispers. He lays down on the bed and rolls onto his back. Jake pats his chest as I crawl over to him. I kiss him one more time before laying my head on his chest, and tossing an arm and a leg over him. I can feel his chest rumble as he laughs quietly while I settle in. He wraps one arm around me, and lays his other hand on my thigh before pressing a kiss onto the too of my head.

"Can we say we'll talk once a week? At least." He asks.

We hadn't discussed keeping in touch after I left even though I hoped we would, and Jakes idea sounded as good as any. "I would love that." I admit.

I can hear the smile in his voice as he whispers, "Goodnight Raive."

"Goodnight Jake. See you in the morning."

Jake hesitates and whispers even quieter, "I'm going to miss you."

I'm quiet for a long time. I listen to Jake breath, knowing he's still awake, thinking that he had just broken the most important rule we had. We never talk about our emotions for each other. Saying he'll miss me isn't exactly a declaration of love, but it's the closest thing to an emotion that has been said all summer. Hell we're breaking all kinds of rules tonight.

Once again I'm not sure of what I'm doing as I whisper, "I'm going to miss you too."

I feel his arm tighten around me and I know he heard. I smile to myself as I fall into the black oblivion that is sleep because deep down, I know it's true.

The next morning when my dad wakes us up, he doesn't comment on Jake being in my bed. He just tells me to get to packing. Jake helps me pack up all of my things in silence and carry them out to where my dad is already waiting in his truck. We don't say anything as he helps me into the truck that is about to take me away. He shuts the door and kisses me quickly through the open window before backing up.

"Call me when you get there," is all Jake says as we pull out. I nod to him and wave. I watch him wave back and then shove his hands into his pockets.

He stood there watching until we were out of sight. I know because I was watching him in the side view mirror, and all the while wishing I was standing beside him.


	2. When It Rains, It Pours

I haven't seen Jacob since I left my dads. It's almost four months into the semester and good to our word, Jake and I talk at least once a week. It's been more than that lately with my finals coming up. Sometimes we talk late into the night, others I'm almost late to class because I lose track of time. Today however, I'm late because I got caught up talking to my roommate Alice about what we're going to wear to the party tonight.

I'm almost twenty minutes late when I make it to class and the professor gives me the stink eye, but doesn't comment as I go to an empty chair. Alice has me so worried about clothes, I can't focus on the lecture about ancient Egypt. I frown to myself when I feel my phone vibrate.

*  
_Damn it Alice._

I think to myself as I look at my phone. But it isn't Alice. A number I don't know is calling me. It has same the area code that my dad and Jake have. It's not Jakes number, and he always sends me a text before he calls off someone else's phone, so it must be my dad. I ignore the call because I'm in class.

He'll call back later. He knows I'm in class right now.

The same number calls me again not five minutes later. Dad calling me during class meant it was important. Looking up at the presentation my professor is showing, I decide it wouldn't kill me to miss it. I had to make up the part I missed earlier anyway.

I bend over my desk as I answer the phone. "Dad?"

"Hey Darlin'." My dad said.

"Hang on." I whisper.

I try to be stealthy as I leave the room, but I fail. As I step out into the hall, I pause to rearrange my bag before putting the phone back up to my ear.

"Hey dad."

"Were you in class?" He asks.

"Well yea." I roll my eyes even though he can't see.

"I'm sorry sweetheart. I can call back in a bit."

"It's fine. I already left. So what's up?" I ask as I head towards my dorm building.

"Nothing really. I just wanted to hear your lovely voice. What're you doing?"

"Well now you have." I laugh and open the door to my building. "And I'm almost back to my room."

"I miss you."

"I miss you too dad. How've you been?" I ask.

"I've been worse." He says.

That's his customary reply so I don't think anything of it.

"Well that's g-"

"RAIVE!"

I'm assaulted by my roommates voice as I open our door. I quickly shut the door again and stay out in the hall to talk to my dad.

"I'll let you go. Sounds like Alice needs you."

"She's having a clothing crisis." I reply.

"I love you baby girl. Talk to you again soon."

"I love you too daddy. Bye."

"Bye." He replies.

I listen to the silence of the line until I hear him hang up, then I walk into my room where Alice is waiting for me quietly. It's surprising considering how loud she yelled when I opened the door the first time. She just sat there looking at me.

"What?" I ask her.

"Was that your dad? Or was it Jake?" She asked in response.

"Dad." Whenever Jake gets brought up Alice usually talks all goofy. That was my first clue that I wasn't going like whatever she was yelling at me about.

"Oh sorry. If I had known I wouldn't have yelled, but I have some news.." The way she says it confirmed it isn't going to be good.

"About the party?" I ask, hoping it was cancelled and she was just bummed.

"No.." Alice hesitates. "When I went downstairs to get my laundry, Edward was down there trying to find you." She finishes in a rush.

Edward is the most recent of my douchebag exes. We haven't been together since before summer started, and although I've made it clear that I am NEVER going back to him, he refuses to leave me alone. Every few weeks he comes sniffing around until one of the frat boys, that basically live in the dorm lobby instead of their rooms, runs him off again.

"You tell him to fuck off?" I ask.

"Sure did. But I don't know if he'll listen. He heard me talking to Jay and Dustin about the party and said he'd stop by later. Dustin told him if he did, he'd leave with his ass kicked." Alice said.

"Good. Now did you solve your clothing crisis?" I ask, changing the subject.

Alice immediately perks up and launches into a detailed account of what I missed. And so begins my personal Alice themed nightmare, but at least she dropped the Edward subject.

After hours of watching Alice try on clothes, then toss them aside in our room, then listening to her go on and on at dinner about the cute guy that invited us, I was relieved when we got back to the room and she settled down in front of our full length mirror to do her makeup.

Alice is on a Paramore kick recently, and their song "Ignorance" starts as I put the finishing touches on my mascara. I decided to just go with simple silver eyeshadow on the inner corners of my eyes while Alice was jabbering at me during dinner. I screw the lid onto my mascara, and get up to change when someone knocks on our door. Since I'm already up I answer the door. Dustin's standing in the hallway.

Dustin definitely looks like a brawler. He's kind of short for a guy, but he's broad enough to make up for it. The only time he comes to my room is when Edward shows up. Dustin doesn't even know why we broke up, but he hates Edward almost as much as I do. That could just be because he's been trying to get with me himself. He's nice and all, but not my type, and right now he looks like someone ruffled his feathers. I lean against the door frame so he can't walk into the room.

"Hey Dustin. Let me guess. Edward's in the lobby?" I say before he can talk.

"Not this time." He grumbles.

"Then why do you look ready for a fight?" I ask.

"There's a guy down in the lobby looking for you. He doesn't look to friendly, and he brought friends. I don't think I like him much."

"Why not? Do you know him?" Being in a frat, Dustin knows more guys than most people because of rushing.

"No. That's why I don't like him. He's not from around here." Dustin says.

"Not being from here shouldn't be the reason you decide you don't like someone." I laugh. "Can you bring them up to me? I've still got to get dressed for tonight."

Dustin shakes his head. "Carter says they look like trouble. He sent me to come get you and tell you to come down if you want to. If not, I'll send them away." Dustin made a show of cracking his knuckles. Carter is an RA so it's best not to argue with him.

"Damn. First you threaten Edward, thanks by the way, and now you're trying to go after some guys you don't even know. Tense much?"

Dustin ignores the comment as I look over at Alice.

"You've got time Raive. You always finish getting ready before me. This way you won't have to yell at me to hurry." Alice smiles at me as I look down at my halfway undone black button down, neon green short shorts, and barefoot glory. "You look fine. Now go! Don't make me late."

I laugh at her as I motion for Dustin to let me by. Alice and I stay on the third floor of the dorm building, so I head for the elevator. Dustin follows me in there and I hit the lobby button.

"I feel like I'm being followed by a bodyguard." I state.

"You might need me to be your bodyguard. Do you even know who's waiting in the lobby?" He asks as the elevator stops at the ground floor.

"No, but I guess I'm going to find out." I reply as the elevator doors slide open.

"Alright show me where this guy is." I tell Dustin as we step out into the lobby.

"Guys." Dustin says. Then he nods over by the front doors. "They're over there."

I look where Dustin indicated and sure enough, there were three guys standing by the door. I recognize the two facing me, but I would know the third one if he had been wearing a hockey mask. Annoyingly enough, Dustin starts walking over to the guys with me. Paul and Embry notice us heading their way but I motion for them to be quiet. They nod. I stop several feet from the guys, and clear my throat.

"Long time, no see." I say loud enough for them to hear me.

Paul and Embry are grinning their heads off as the third guy spins around and stops dead.

"You're a sight for sore eyes. Going out tonight?" Jacob says, and raises an eyebrow.

"Yes. Now are you going to come say hello, or just stand there and-"

Before I can finish my sentence Jake swoops me up in a crushing embrace. His lips find mine and he settles me on his hips so I can wrap my legs around his waist. In my head I can't believe Jacob is here, but in real life I'm kissing him with everything I have. I really do miss this boy. I think to myself.

I smile against his lips as I feel him reposition his forearms under my thighs so his hands can cup my ass. It means he doesn't like the current audience. He's staking his claim. Jake isn't a possessive guy. Especially not with me. But there are some people he just can't stand if they don't know I'm off limits when he's around. I guess Dustin or Carter didn't give him a very nice welcome. My money's on Dustin. Last time he bothered himself with warning another guy off was when James and his crew showed up at a party we were at over the summer.

_James' crew just showed up about a month before I left. With them in the area we were uneasy but Jacob didn't think they would be outright dangerous until his boys started hearing rumors about a bunch of guys that were new to the area, trying to hustle drugs in Jakes turf. Of course there were people in the area that dealt, but they gave Jake a cut of their profit and he let them keep dealing. Jacob controls everything in his turf. If someone gets to carried away with drugs and he wants them cut off, they're cut off. No one sells to them until they get the 'ok' from Jake. James didn't follow the rules. According to the rumors, James would sell anything to anyone. And if he gave out credit that wasn't paid back, bad things happened to whoever owed him. Jacob never goes that far if someone can't pay. He isn't one for violence._

_Jakes' boys had been hearing things for weeks when James showed up at the party. As usual Jake and I were sitting high on the river bank with our bottle, watching out for everyone at the party. Suddenly everyone quieted down and made a path up the hill to where we sat. Jacob stay where he was, but I fell his arms tighten around me as James and some of his boys came walking through the crowd. Paul, Embry and the rest of Jakes' boys were walking behind them, but James didn't seem to notice. Only Seth, the youngest of Jakes group stayed back with the crowd._

_"Go stand with Seth." Jacob whispers in my ear._

_I slide off his lap, and notice that I either have to walk all the way around the ring of guys, or walk straight past James and his boys. I defiantly raise my head and start walking past James. I feel an arm snake around my waist a second before I'm pulled swiftly against someone's chest. There's a loud intake of breath coming from around me. I look up, and I'm staring directly into James' eyes. He looks behind me, I glance behind me too. Jacob looks livid, and I could swear I hear growling. Other guys have grabbed me while we were out before, but Jake just left it to me to get rid of them, laughing all the while. He's never gotten territorial about me, but right now he looks ready to murder James and he's shaking, but he doesn't make a move._

_I turn back to James, and he's looking down at me. A wicked smile slides into place as he starts running his hand down my back and over my ass. I try to pull away from him, but his hand grabs my ass, and pulls me so tight against him it's painful. James' hand comes up to caress the left side of my face._

_"My, you are beautiful. I've heard the talk, but didn't believe Jakey-boy could pull it off." James said out loud before lowering his voice slightly. "You're damn sexy too."_

_"While I appreciate the input, I'm gonna love it when you remove the hunk of flesh you call a hand from my ass, and so I can leave." My voice drips venom._

_"You've got fire." James smiles, and doesn't let me go._

_"Sure do." I reply before cocking my right arm back and slamming my fist straight into James' nose._

_His head snaps back, but he's back looking at me a moment later. He didn't lose his grip either. I feel his fingers wind into my hair, and he jerks my head up so I'm looking directly at him._

_"You're going to be mine very soon." He whispers in my ear._

_The growling is spreading around the circle. I know that even with Jake and the boys around me, I'm still in trouble, but for some reason I feel very confident as I whisper back, "I wouldn't count on it."_

_A blink of an eye later a fist barrels past me and connects with James' face. I feel hands prying me out of James' arms. Jacobs familiar scent surrounds me as he gently lifts my face to his._

_"You ok?" He asks._

_"Yes." I reply as his arms go around me. Over my shoulder I can see Jakes boys not so politely escorting James' crew away from the party. James' eyes never left me._

_That was the first and last time I ever saw of James._

Someone clears their throat, and I pull gently away from Jake. I see that it was only Dustin, so I lay my forehead against Jakes.

"I missed you." He whispers.

I hesitate for a moment, then decide to tell him the truth.

"I missed you too." I smile as his face lights up. Before that I didn't realize how clouded his face was. I realize something's wrong.

"We need to talk." He says.

"Alright." I say after a minute, a million ideas of what it could be run through my mind. "Let's go to my room. Come on guys."

Jacob sets me down, and I motion for Paul and Embry to follow as I turn to go to the elevator. Jessica, one the RAs, is blocking my way.

"You can't take them up to your room. Only one can go up with you." She says while crossing her arms.

I look over at Carter for help, but he shakes his head too. I turn to Jake and hear Paul offer to stay in the lobby with Embry while we went to talk, but I shake my head.

"Let's just go outside guys. Alice is in the room anyways." I'm almost to the door when I hear Dustin's voice.

"Dude, if you're going to dump her just do it. Quit being a pussy." Dustin calls out.

Jacob snorts as he puts an arm around me and turns to face Dustin.

"I didn't drive a thousand miles to 'dump' Raive. We aren't together anyway."

"Then why don't you leave, and let a real man take care of her." Dustin puffs up as he saunters closer.

The way Dustin said that irritates the shit out of me, but before I can say anything Jake cuts in. "You'll have to take that up with her."

I can see he is leaving this up to me, so I move in front of Jacob and lean back against his chest. I feel him grab me low on my hips. I look Dustin in the eye as I say, "We may not be together but this," I give a slow kiss Jake over my shoulder, "is still mine." I look back at Dustin.

"And this is still mine." As Jake speaks, he looks down at his hands. Dustin watches as Jacob spreads his fingers low across my stomach, and comes dangerously close to brushing the most private part of me. A slow smile speaks across Jacobs face as Dustin starts turning red.

"Whatever man. If you aren't going to dump her, then you two can talk in front of us." Dustin waltzes over to an open chair and plops down for the show.

"It's not something all of you need to hear." Jacob says, eyeing everyone in the lobby.

Dustin opens his mouth again but I cut him off. "Jake he's not going to give up. Just tell me."

Jacobs face clouds over, and his voice drops. "You don't want to do this here."

"Of course I don't, but there's no point going outside if Dustin, and who knows who else, follow us out there." I sigh. "Tell me please."

A pained look crosses his face, but he speaks anyway, "Raive... Your dad's dead."

Everything freezes. My heart, my breathing, everything. I search Jacobs face and I don't see any trace of a lie. It feels like an eternity passes before I can make my mouth cooperate.

"Please tell me this is a joke." I croak.

"There was an accident Raive. A few days ago, your dad wrecked his truck while he was heading to get cigarettes. I was behind him when it happened." Jakes eyes plead with me to believe him.

"That's not possible. He just called me a few hours ago. I talked to him. He was alive. He didn't say anything about a wreck. He's fine." I'm struggling to get out full sentences. I shake my head as Jake reaches out to me. His lets his hands drop as he continues to speak.

"He swerved into the rock wall, and then into guardrail because someone was standing in the road. I took him to the hospital, and he sent us to get you... We didn't make it in time. I'm so sorry Raive. He seemed like he was getting better when we left... The hospital called me because that's the number your dad gave them."

"If he was doing better, then what happened?" I whisper as loud as I can.

"The nurse that called said that the alarms started going of in his room. When they got there, all of the oxygen and IV cords had been cut. They checked the security footage and saw someone exiting the room minutes before the alarms went off." Jacob trails off.

"Who it was?" I manage.

Jake looks like it hurts him to speak. "It was the same person standing in the road to wreck him." He pauses, "it was James, Raive. James did this."

My eyes snap up to Jakes. I can't tell if he's more pissed off or upset. My mind is still trying to wrap around my father being dead, and adding the knowledge that James killed him, is to much. I feel my legs start to buckle. I'm grateful as I feel Jake catch me. He sets me back on my feet, but doesn't let go. I can see his lips moving, but I can't hear anything he says. I'm just about to give up on trying to make sense of it when I feel something crack across my face. My eyes focus on the person standing beside Jake.

"A- Alice.." I stutter.

"I know sweetie. I heard and its bad, but you have to focus ok? You can't just check out." Her voice is filled with steel. My cheek stings and I focus on the pain to clear my head.

"What do I do now?" I ask Jake in a clear voice.

"When your dad sent us down here to get you.. He said if something happened to him you got everything." Jake finished in a rush.

"So I need to come up there?" I ask.

Jacob nods slowly. He slowly releases my shoulders like he's scared I'm going to fall apart.

"Alice I won't be back for awhile. If I come back at all." I warn my roommate.

"I know. Take your time. If you need me to send your stuff to you just let me know." Alice smiled sadly and hugs me gently, as if she's afraid I'll break too.

I grab Jacobs hand, and use it to anchor me to the present as I make my way to the elevator. As the doors open, Jessica stops us.

"I'm sorry for your loss, but he still can't go upstairs." She said.

I ram my fist into her perfect nose. I almost feel something when I hear a satisfying crunch and see blood pour from her now busted nose. She's been a thorn in my side for too long, and I'm not in the mood right now.


End file.
